Good point. In non-hypothetical Knicks news, the team is 11-47, carrying a 17-game home losing streak and hasn’t made the playoffs in six years. Its greatest asset is cap space.

But beyond the annual offseason dreaming at MSG, there has always existed a debate around the NBA about the Knicks compared to, let’s say, the Blazers. More broadly, it’s Big Market vs. Small Market as it pertains to free-agent appeal.

On Wednesday at their practice in Brooklyn, The News picked the brains of McCollum and Damian Lillard – perhaps the second-best backcourt tandem in NBA after the one in Golden State – on this topic. They were candid with their thoughts and own circumstance playing in one of the NBA’s smaller cities (Portland).

Lillard said that exposure from social media has raised the ceiling for star potential in smaller markets, but it’s still lower than if the same player is positioned in a big market. He also understands why free agents might gravitate to the social life in bigger cities.

“For sure. I think when we travel and we come to New York, when we come to L.A., all the cities that you go to, you land in certain spots and you’re like, ‘Man, I like this city,’” Lillard told the News. “You look forward to going there for whatever reason. I like shopping here, you know what I’m saying.

“And L.A., it’s close to home, a lot of my friends live there, it’s good weather. Nice spots to go eat dinner. They got a live DJ. There are things about it that you like. So when you have free agents, those are the things they think about. Like, I can go to Brooklyn, then you think of the things you do when you’re in Brooklyn and say, I can do that. So it’s more appealing, I think.”

Still, as McCollum said in the context of All-Star appearances, market size is inconsequential as it compares to conference affiliation. McCollum and Lillard, who are both locked up with max contracts until the summer of 2021, played in just four All-Star games combined (all Lillard) despite gaudy numbers and five consecutive playoff appearances with the Blazers.

“Any market would help in the East would help, yeah. When you’re in the Western Conference it’s different in terms of the guard depth,” McCollum said. “There’s a lot of good guards that don’t make the All-Star game in the West. And so I think, maybe from the national point of view, (Lillard) would be more recognized in a big market but in terms of more All-Star appearances, he could be in a big market in the West but there’s still going to be eight guards, seven guards who are almost a lock every year.”

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New York is often regarded as attractive because of business opportunities, even if the added revenue should be weighed against higher taxes. But McCollum isn’t buying that as a reason for the Knicks’ top targets – Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

Durant, for instance, is already set up superbly with endorsements and partnerships with tech companies.

“I’d imagine there are incentives in certain contracts to playing in a big city. But, I mean, Kevin is in Silicon Valley. So what kind of deal flow is he missing out on?” McCollum said. “He has the advantage over a lot of people because of not only who he is as a player but his business resume speaks for itself.

“He was an early investor in a lot of companies, before Silicon Valley and after. So I think that for some people it doesn’t matter. You’re going to find deals, you’re going to find endorsement deals you’re looking for. I think it just comes down to a guy’s preference. Kyrie is in Boston. It’s one of the best sports markets in the world.”

Lillard agreed that the business draw of a market is exaggerated.

“Just because you go somewhere where there’s a lot of business opportunities doesn’t mean it’s going to be presented to you,” he said. “I can say, I have a lot of business opportunities out there for me in L.A., but that don’t mean it’s going to happen.

“It’s just opportunities. So I think all that stuff is kind of overrated.”

So why do free agents want to go to the Knicks?

“Why aren’t they going there?” Lillard responded.

Great question. There is widespread belief around the league that Durant will at least strongly consider the Knicks if he leaves Golden State, but past failures should serve as cautionary tales. Don’t count your free agents before they sign. For the Knicks, striking out in 2019 would be a disaster because the front office traded Kristaps Porzingis to clear the requisite cap space.

“We’ll see this summer,” Lillard said. “I think highly of the Knicks. I’ve never played for the organization so I just know from the outside the Knicks are a popular organization, they play at Madison Square Garden. The energy there is different than any other arena.

“But you don’t know how the organization is run. You don’t know the people you got to deal with on a daily basis so I can’t really speak to that.”

In New York, the draft and free agency is all that’s left to speak about.

“There’s nothing really to talk about right now. So the thought of a free agent is enticing to this crowd,” McCollum said. “Because there’s not really much to talk about with these New York teams. Obviously Brooklyn is in a position to make the playoffs. But from the Knicks standpoint, it’s their prerogative, as we’ve seen, they’ve got two max slots (for free agents). So that’s something for them to talk about. But for us, we live out in Oregon, man. Our day-to-day life is slow. Just go hoop and go home.”